Sheet-metal-dotjbling machine



l. G. GRAHAM. SHEET METAL DOUBLI'NG MACHINE.`

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 31| 1918.

Reissued July 6, 1920.

E m r T J. G. GRAHAM.

SHEET METAL DOUBLING MACHINE.A APPLlcAnoN FILED 0mm. 1919.

Reissued July 6, 1920. 4 14,907.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I. G. GRAHAM.

SHEET METAL DOUBLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC.3I, I9I9. Reissued July 6, 1920. 14,907.

s SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. To lill 'wiwi/'L t may (Jamie/137i'.-

JOHNv G. GRAHAMQOF GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS.

sIImiT-ii/InTAL-noUzLING MACHINE.

' Specification of Ressued Letters latent. Reissued July 6, 1920,

original Nd. 1,252,270, dated January i, 191s', serial No. 151,479, inea rebnary 2s, 19,17'. Application y for reissue filed December 31, 1919. `Serial No. 3482683.

it known that LJQHN G. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residingV at GraniteGity, county of Madison, and Stateof Illinois, have invented al newand useful Improvement in Sheet-Metal-Doubling AMachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had' to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

lvly invention relates to a machine for doubling sheet-metal. The principal object Y of my present invention is to provide a machineby which sheet-metal is readily, quickly, and efficiently automatically doubled forproducing a pack of' two or more sheets. l i

lV ith the above my invention resides in the novel features ofform, construction, arrangement, and

combination of parts hereinafter describedand afterward pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section through my improvedsheet-metal doublingmachine, omitting parts of the driving gear Fig. 2 4is a top plan view of the same;

. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section 7 through the foundation -of the machine,

omitting the Hoor-plate, and showing the `machine' in front end elevation;

Fig. liis a view similar to Fig. l, broken away, with the folding` parts of the machine in` dicrent positions respectively.;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the shank and guidesof the presser-plateand its appendages forming parts -of my invention, on line 5.5, in Figs.j land 3;

Fig. 9 is avertical section through-the j same taken longitudinally with the machine on line 9 9, Fig. 8. Y

Referring now-more'in detail to the said drawings in-which like letters and 'numerals of reference denote like parts in all the figures, a represents a preferably metal floor- .plate on which` the metal sheet l (represented by the` heavy'blackA line in Figs. 1

and 3) to be doubled is laid.v Beneath the and other objects in View,

-ably a toothed spur wheel d vfixed above the bar c (hereinafter termed rack) on a trans? versely arranged shaft e, which is mounted in suitable bearings 5 secure'dto the foundation of the machine beneath the shaft e. From the. rear end portion, and in the vertical plane, of the yrack c, extends an up- A wardly and preferably rearwardly inclined member c', which is formed at its upper end with a rearwardly projecting L-shapedoifset c2 having its vertical leg 6 projecting upward through thevfloor-plate t and being 'adapted to bear at its front side against the rear endedge of the metal-sheetl when the latter is in itsinitial position .fonthe' floor-plate a, as seen particularly inl Figs.

landQ.

1 (ln the v shaft e, at a suitable andeolual` distance from each side of the longitudinal center of the rack candclear of the longilPATENT OFFICE.

tudinal 4edges of themetal-sheet l, isful- .l

lcrumed and `fixed one end of an arm or lever', which is normally or in1t1ally1n- "clined upwardly and forwardlyv from the yshaft c toward the floor-plate a, where it it iiXed, preferably at its outer, free end, to

the corresponding end ofa spindle 7; and on Athe "spindle .7 in proximity and parallel r thereto, is hinged by lugs 8 projecting therefrom, a flat rectangular-shaped bar g, ywhich extends lengthwise between, andv at right angles to, the arms j and is freeto move radially aboutits pivot or hinge 7, the bar g,

by which the metal-sheet 1 is folded, as

hereinafter described, being adapted to pass A freely through a corresponding opening 9A therefor in theiioor-plate a,v across which opening the front end portion of the metalsheet l extends, the upper faceof the bar g bearing thereat against 4the under-side of the metal-sheet 1 when `the latter is in its initial positionon the' floor-plate a, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. v f

Longitudinally through the floor-plate a immediately over, and having its longitudinal edges clear of the'corresponding sides 'of each arm f, is an opening 9', which extends rearwardly kfrom the front opening 9 toa distance equal, or thereabout, to thedravelL of the arms 7 when swung by the shaft c from the initial position of the bar g, shown by full lines in F ig. l, to its final position, shown b ticularly referred to, the openings 9 conimunicating at their rear ends With'an open-v y ing 9? formed transversely through the flooryplate a and c'oniinunicatingwith a central 'flongitudinal opening 93, formed through the floor-plate `@clear of the sides of the offsetl 'c2 of the rack c and extending rearwardly for a suitable distance from the opening 92 for allowing free movement of the offset c2 to andfro according 4to the varying lengths of the inet-alsheets to'be doubled.

By vthe arrangement of the openings 9, 9',

492 and 93, Vthus described, itwill be noted that the consequently detached intervening portion'of the floor-plate a is securedto the surrounding portion ofthe latter in front by aU-shaped bracket l0 (see particularly Fig. 1), which straddles the bar g beneath the floor-plate @fand is fixed by'one .leg to n .the front end ofthe detached portion andk by its other leg to the adjacent s urrounding portion of the floor-plate a, and, similarly,

"at the rear end of the detached portion by U-shaped brackets '10', which -bridge the opening 92at each side' and clear the opening 93, whereby the intervening portion of ltheffloor-plate 1L-'is firmly supportedv and i lheld at the normal level of the floor.`l-

' represents al'shaft which is preferably in alineme'nt with, but separate from, the

shaft e and is mounted in suitable bearingsA '11 secured'beneath'to the foundation. I On the shaft h, which is, preferably' in the present case fixed in the bearings 11, is mountf ed loosely a spur-wheel, which is adapted to engage with a vertically arranged toothed rack12 formed on or fixed to one side-of the upright shank 1 3'of a horizontal rectangular-shaped plate'lf, which projectsy longitudinallyfor a suitable distance from'the `upper end of the shank- 13k above and across the floor-plate 'a and the metalsheet 1 thereon 'and carries the presserp'late 7c by which the -folded portion of themetal-sheet 1 vis pressed'downward upon the straight under portion thereo'ffas hereinafter particularly referred to,\the combined shank 13 and plate 114 forming an inverted' L-shaned member.`

The presser-plate 7i: in the present case is vformed along its longitudinal edges with upwardly projecting flanges 15, which are slidably in contactfwith the corresponding edges of theplateA 14 and flanged inwardly at the top so as to overlapfthe latter, a "suitvable space 16 being left between the `plate ll'and the upperside of the presser-plate lk', and in the space `16 are placed transdotted lines in Fig. 1 and by full s vlilies in F ig. 4, and as hereinafter more parversely a :seriesof springs 17 lpreferably fixedfto'the'p'late 14: and bearing at their free ends on the 4`presser-plate 70 whereby the presser-plate c is vertically yieldable and resilient whenlowered upon the folded portion of the metal-sheet 1.

For operating the machine, various arrangements of mechanism driven by a single motor or otherwisemay be' used, the driving gear for this purpose in the present case vconsisting of Aa counter shaft Z arranged parallel to the shafts c and hand rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 18. On the vshaft 'Z is mounted loosely a spur-pinion dv whichis adapted l'to engage the spur wheel "cl von the' shaft e, and a spur pinion adapted to engage the spur-wheel z' on the shaft L, and on the shaft' Z'is feathered a suitable clutch, such as a friction-clutch m,

@represents a motor (Figs. 2 and 8) hav-v ingits shaft '23 at right angles tothe counter-shaft Z, andv on the motorshaft 23 are looselyfmounted two opposite bevel wheels y 2f 2-1,` which are adapted to engage with a bevel wheel 25 fixed on the adjacent end of the shaft' L' ,Y

On the motor Vshaft 23,5 between the bevelA wheels 24, 24,-is feathered a clutch 26, which isadapted for engagement with either ofthe bevel wheels 241,24@ and cont-rolled by a lever26 or otherwise by any suitable well- `.known means. On the fixedlshaft It, is also vfeathered a clutch 27, which is adapted for :engagement Awith the spur-wlieel e' for lock- 'ing, and so' preventing rotation.of,the latter by the tendency of the presser-plate k and its appendages to descend by' gravity when the spur-wheel vl is thrown out ofy gear with the driving. mechanism: in the operation of the machine; or in'lieu of the vclutch 27 for this purpose, an ordinary pulley and band-brake may be'used.

In operation, assuming thc metal sheet 1 tobe placed on thefloorplate a in its initial position, as shown' bythe heavy black linek in Figs; 1 and 3, and by ordinary full' lines inA Fig. 2, and that the motor shaft 23 is rotated in the ldirection of arrow 28 V(Fig.

8) \vith'the"cliitch 26 thrown into engagc- 1 In'ent with' the bevel wheel2f, the` bevel wheel 25 and with itthecounter-shaft Z will 1 be rotated in the direction of arrow 29, when the clutch bz being thrown into engagement lwith the pinion d by moving the operatinghandle 22 from its mid-position as shown in Fig. H, into the dotted Vposition it', the spurwheel .fl and its shaft c will be rotated in the direction of arrow 3() (Figs. 8 and l) and in sovdoing will raise and swing the doubling-bar y/ from its initial position seen in Fig. l, as indicated by arrow 3l, or so as to raise the metal-sheet l at its front end; simultaneously, the rack @with its offset o2 engaging` the metal sheet l at its rear end is moved forward by the spur-wheel d in the` direction of arrow 32, and in so doing causes the metal-sheet l to be moved forward along the floor-plate a, the combined and simultaneous movements of the doubling-bar g and rack c from their initial positions shown by full lines in Fig. l to their final positions indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l and by full lines in Fig. e, thereby causing the metal-sheet l to be folded over on itself into the position and shape indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l.

By then moving the handle 22 o f the driving-gear into the mid-position as shown by full lines in Fig. 8, the clutch -mv will be disengaged from the pinion d', and the motor p being then stopped, the clutch 26 is disengaged from the bevel wheel 24 and thrown into engagement with the bevel wheel 2li', the clutch n being at the same time thrown into engagement with the pinion` t" by moving the handle 22 into the dotted position y and the locking-clutch 27 released from the spur-wheel z', when the motor p being again re-started, the bevel wheel 25, and with it the counter-shaft Z and pinion c" will be rotated in the direction of arrow 33 (Fig. 8) or so as to lower the members 13, 14, and with them the presser-plate 7e from its position shown, by full lines in Figs. l and 3, on to the metalsheet l until the folded portion of the latter is flattened and pressed downward upon the underlying portion thereof as shown in Fig. ll, thereby doubling the sheet or'producing a pack for rerolling, and in this connection it is to be noted that, by means of the springs 17 before described, the impact of the presser-plate 7a upon the metal-sheet l is cushioned.

The motor p being then again stopped, the clutch 26 is disengaged from the bevel wheel 2a and reengaged lwith the bevel wheel 243i, which on re-starting the motor p causes the spur-wheel'z' to be rotated in the opposite direction from arrow 33, or so as to raise the presser-plate 7c from the` metalsheet l into its original position. The motor y) is then again stopped and the spurwheel z' locked by the clutch 27, when by disengaging the clutch a from the pinion i and reengaging the clutch m with the pinion cl, the spur-wheel Z on re-startingthe motor p will be rotated in.' the opposite direction to or so as to return the doublingbar g and rack c to their original position, when the doubled sheet is removed.

In the meantime, however, previous to restarting the motor p and returning the parts as last mentioned, the shearing blade s (see Figs. l, 3, and 4L) carried by the vertically arranged toothed racks 34, which are operated by the toothed pinions 35 fixed on a shaft 36 mounted in bearings 37 at the sides of the standard 3S, is lowered and, passing between the vertical leg 6 of the offset c2 and the reinforced forward edge of the opening 92 shears or trims the irregular' rear end edges 39 of the doubled sheet l, the shearing mechanism referred to being of the ordinary well-known construction and therefore needing no further description. My new machine will accommodate sheets of varying length, and it will now be evident that, due to the folding or doubling bar g and sheet-sliding member c2, and their combined and substantially simultaneous movements with respect to the sheet being folded or doubled, the two opposite edges of the sheet, irrespective of the length of the particular sheet, within the limits of the machine, are first brought substantially Ainto alinement and then held in alinement during the pressing and flattening action of the presser-plate la. The sheet is thus automatically and most efficiently approximately exactly doubled or folded upon itselfand waste of the sheet thereby avoided, the later action of the shearing-blade s being merely to simultaneously trim, and thereby even, the said two edges of the folded sheet.

I am aware that changes in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my machine may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sheet-metal doubling machine comprising, in combination, means including a member adapted for engagement with the sheet for folding the sheet upon itself, a second member adapted for engagement with the sheet for slidably moving the sheet, and means for effecting sheet-sliding movement of the second member during and approximately throughout folding-movement of the first member for bringing the ends of the folded sheet substantially in alinement at the end of the folding movement of the first member.

2. A sheet-metal doubling machine comprising a table, in combination with means including a member adapted for engagement with the sheet for folding the sheet upon itself upon the table, a second member adapted for engagement with the Sheet f0.1' Slidari'ow 30.

ably moving the sheet upon the table, and means for effecting sheet-sliding movement of the second member approximately simultaneously with and throughout foldingmovement of the first member for bringing the ends of the folded sheet substantially in alinement at the end of the folding movement of the first member.

3. A sheet-metal doubling machine comprising a table, in combination with means including a member adapted for engagement with. an end of the sheetV for folding the sheet upon itself upon the table and means including a movable rack and a member carried by the rack adapted for engagement with the other end of the sheet for sliding the sheet upon the table during the folding Amovement of the first member, the sliding movement ofthe rack and second member beginning substantially simultaneously with, and continuing substantially throughout, the folding movement of the first member, whereby the two ends of the folded sheet are brought substantially in alinement at the end of the folding movement of said first member.

4. A sheet-metal doubling machine comprising a table, incombination with means including a member adapted for engagement with an end of the sheet for folding the sheet upon itself upon the table, and means including a movable rack and a member carried by the rack adapted for engagement with the other end of the sheet for sliding the sheet upon the table during the folding movement of the first member, the sliding movement of the rack and second member beginning substantially simultaneously with, and continuing substantially throughout, the folding movement of the first member, whereby the two ends of the folded sheet are brought and held substantially in alinement at the end of the folding movement of `the first member, and means for then pressing and flattening the folded sheet upon itself.

5. A sheet-metal doubling machine comprising a table, in combination .with means including a member adapted for engagement with an end of the sheet for folding the sheet upon itself upon the table, and means including a movable rack and a member carried by the rack adapted for engagement with the other end of the sheet for sliding the sheet upon the table during the folding movement of the first member, the sliding movement of the rack and second member beginning substantially simultaneously with, and continuing substantially throughout, the folding movement of the first member, whereby the two ends of the folded sheet are brought and held substantially in alinement at the end of the folding movement of the first member, means for then pressing and fiattening the folded sheet upon itself, and

of the first member, whereby the two ends of the sheet are brought and held substantially in alinement at the end of the folding movement of the first member, means for then pressing and flattening the folded sheet upon itself, and means including a shearingblade reciprocatory between the first and second members when at the'end of their respective travel for trimming simultaneously the said two ends of the folded and pressed sheet.

7. A sheet-metal doubling machine comprising, in combination, a table, an arm swin'gable relatively to the table and adapted for engagement with an end of the sheet for folding the sheet upon itself upon the table, a second arm adapted for engagement with an opposite end of the sheet for slidably moving the sheet on the table, means for effecting .swinging movement of the first arm, and means for effecting sheet-sliding movement of the second arm during and approximately throughout folding-movement of the first arm for bringing the opposite ends of the Vsheet substantially in alinement at the end of the folding movement of the first arm.

8. A sheet-metal doubling machine comprising, in combination, a rotatable shaft, means having fixed engagement with the shaft including a member adapted for engagement with an end of the sheet to fold the sheet upon itself, a movable rack, a member carried by the rack and adapted for engagement with the other end of the sheet, and gearing between the shaft and rack for moving the rack and its Acarried member to slide the sheet during the folding movement of the first member.

9. A sheet-metal doubling machine comprising, in combination, a sheet supportingtable, a rotatable shaft locatedbeneath the table, means having fixed engagement with the shaft including Aa member adapted for engagement with an end of the sheet to fold the sheet upon itself upon the table, a movable rack also located beneath the table, an arm on the rack adapted for engagement with the other end of the sheet, and a toothed wheel on the shaft having engagement with the rack for moving the rack and its said arm to slide the 'sheet horizontally on the table during the folding movement of the first member.

,10, 111 a sheet-metal doubling machine, the

combination of a floor adapted to support the said sheet, a rotatable shaft arranged beneath the floor transversely to thel sheet, a toothed wheel fixed onthe shaft,4a toothed rack adapted to be engaged by vthe said Wheel and having a suitable member adaptedv to bear against thenrear end of the sheet,A

an armfixed at one end to the shaft and adapted at its other end t0 bear againstthe under-side of the sheet, means for rotating the shaft, and means for pressing and fiattening the folded portion of the sheet on to the underlying portion thereof. y l1. In a sheet-metal doubling machine, the combinationof a floor adapted to sup-4 port the said sheet,` a rotatable shaft ar-v ranged beneath the fioor transversely to the sheet, a toothed wheel iiXed on the shaft, a toothed rack adapted to be engaged by the said wheel and slidable longitudinally in a plane parallel to the floor, the said rack having a suitable member adapted to bear against the rear end of the sheet, an arm fixed at one end to the shaft at each side of the said wheel, a bar hinged to, and eX- tending' between the said arms at a suitable distance forward from the shaft, the said bar bearing thereat against the under-sidev of the sheet, means for rotating the shaft, and means for pressing and flattening the folded portion 'of the sheet on to the underlying portion thereof. r

l2. In a sheet-metal doubling machine, the combination of a floor adapted to support the said sheet, a rotatable shaft arranged beneath the floor transversely to the sheet, a toothed wheel fixed on the shaft, a toothed rack adapted tov be engaged by the said wheel and slidable longitudinally in a plane parallel to the floor,the saidv rack'having a suitable member adapted to bear against the rear end ofthe sheet, an arm fixed at one end `to the shaft at each side of the saidl wheel, a bar hinged to, and extending 'between the saidarms at a suitable distance forwardfrom the shaft,fthe saidbar bearsheet, means for rotating the shaft, a presserplate, and means yforvraising and lowering the said platel on to and from the folded l portion lof the sheet respectively.` .t

13. In a vsheet-metal doubling machine, the combination of a floor Vadapted to supportthe said sheet, a rotatable shaft arranged beneath the floor transversely to the 'f sheet, a toothed wheel fixed on the shaft, a toothed rack adapted to berengaged by the said `wheel and slidable longitudinally in a plane parallel tothe floor, the said rack having a suitable member adaptedto bear against the rear end of the sheet, an arm fixed at one end to the shaft at ,each side of the said wheel, a bar hingedto and extending between the said arms at a suitable distance forward from'the. shaft, the

said bar bearing thereat against the under side Aof the sheet, a. shaft, a" toothed wheel on the last-named shaft, a` presser-plate, a

kmember adapted to carry and to lower and raise the said plate von to and from "the folded portion of the sheet respectively, a toothed rack carried by the said member and adapted to be engaged by the lastnamed wheel, and means for rotating the said wheels independently of each other.

"In Vwitness whereof, 'I have signed my name to this specification.

vJOHN e. GRAHAM.

ing thereat againstv the under-side of the i 

